Relic Song
by Joey Taylor
Summary: The worlds are ending, brought down by Galactic and Paradius. Can the gang recover from the attempts on their lives, save both worlds and save thier own souls at the same time without falling to the oncoming darkness?
1. Report

**Author Note: Done this opening chapter of Relic Song as a report by Team Galactic. The bold and italic writing is what Galactic are reporting to their colleagues in the Pokémon World, the normal text is what's going on in the background that Galactic aren't aware of or aren't reporting.**

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Team Galactic Otherworld Mission Report.**

_**Dialga still not located. Jamelia Francis and Mai Valentine discovered by Agents Venom and A.C. two weeks ago. Not in possession of the Master Ball. Francis affected by Toxic during the attempted recovery and killed. Remaining Trainer in that party not a threat. **_

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Canalave Rend – Pokémon Centre**

"I can't believe it's been two weeks." Mai sighed as she leant against the doorframe.

"I'm sorry." Jamie apologised, knowing that they were needed back in Domino badly but still unable to go too far from her bed.

"It's... Don't be." Mai shook her head. Jamie had told her to get moving and return to Domino, but she couldn't leave Jamie alone, not right now. Her best friend was too weak to be left unattended. She didn't know if Galactic knew Jamie had survived. It had been a close enough thing that she wasn't sure herself how the Pokémon Trainer had lived. It had been so close when they'd gotten to the Canalave Rend, that even Nurse Joy was touting Jamie's recovery as a miracle.

"I heard you've made yourself a friend." Jamie smiled weakly, teasing her friend, wishing there was something she could say or do to make everything better.

"I... Jay!" Mai's blush was enough to tell Jamie that she'd hit the nail on the head.

"So, tell me more about this Valon guy then." Jamie chuckled, "Between you keeping him to yourself and 'Kura's refusal to let anyone he doesn't know and hasn't checked in triplicate anywhere near me, I don't know anything about him."

"He's alright." Mai sounded defensive, "Gets on well with the Pokémon and has been helping around town."

"Sounds good so far." Jamie nodded, appreciating someone who was willing to help her people, "So he's not from my world?"

"No, but he was passing through and saw the lights when Canalave was dumped here. He's been here for a little while which was why he had Revives on him."

"Which Pokémon does he have?" Jamie asked, curious. The guy had to have something on him, he wouldn't have been carrying Revives otherwise.

"None." Mai looked a little confused by that herself, "Said he was concerned about others in the area. Some of the Trainers that have left Canalave have come back wounded. I'm guessing those Galactics were waiting for us for a while."

Jamie winced, wondering how many had been hurt while Galactic had been hunting them. "At least they haven't been back."

"True. Have to wonder why. I mean Kaiba's been back and forth and they certainly seemed to have a grudge against you..." Mai looked worried.

"I'm not complaining." Jamie sighed, pulling off her covers. "Come on, time to try again."

Aisu, who had been curled up at the end of her bed yelped as the covers were dumped on her head. The Glaceon wriggled out from underneath the blanket and leapt down, watching her Trainer carefully as the girl swung off of the bed and put her feet down, shaking slightly as she did so.

"You know, Nurse Joy's going to be ticked if you don't wait for her to come around." Mai was just as concerned as Jamie's strongest Pokémon.

"I know, but I can smell burgers and I'm damn well going to find out where that smell's coming from."

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Joseph Wheeler repelled Agent Flame and Agent Snow from the grounds of Domino High during assault two weeks ago. Must watch closer. **_

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Domino, Japan – Streets, Day Care Centre.**

"Of course you understand, Wheeler-San, why we can't allow you back in our school?" Joey muttered sarcastically as he kicked a trashcan as he stalked down the road, just daring anyone to even think about jumping him. He could do with a good fight right now. "No, we don't care that you risked your life to protect the other students. Of course you'll be expected to pay for the damages even though they weren't your fault." He kicked the next trashcan he passed hard enough to dent it.

When Flame and Snow had attacked the school Joey hadn't thought, just reacted by sending out Iblis, his Charizard, and Kaida, his Dragonair. His two Pokémon had worked their hardest to protect both their Trainer and the school. Kaida had even evolved into a Dragonite fighting against Snow's Mamoswine. It wasn't fair that after all their work to stop the destruction, they were getting the blame for it.

That wasn't what was bothering him the most about the school's reaction. What was really grinding on his nerves was that while they'd dragged him into school and lambasted him before expelling him, his best friend had been lying on the floor of the school Gym, badly wounded and all alone.

He'd felt something was wrong, they all had but he hadn't been able to get away from the Teachers without causing someone harm and Tristan and Tea had had to comb the school grounds without him.

"Piiii!"

Joey's train of thoughts derailed at the shrill cry.

"Pichu! Piiichu!"

Joey followed the voice, turning down the next alleyway to find a Pichu, quite possibly one of Denkou's babies that had escaped the Day Care again, being threatened by a purple snake thing with a tail that rattled, an Ekans if Joey remembered correctly, having been informed that there was a nest of them in Domino Park, though no one knew where they had come from in the first place.

"Kaida!" Joey demanded, sending his Dragonite out and wondering if he should start carrying Ku, his Riolu more often for situations like this, "Slam!"

The Dragonite attacked, knocking the snake out with one blow, standing guard over it as the Pichu darted past and clung to Joey's leg.

"Hey, easy." Joey chuckled, picking the tiny electric mouse up, remembering his panic when Denkou's eggs had started hatching, and tickling it, wincing against the tiny jolt it released. "You're safe now. Come on, I'll take you home."

Pichu, pi!" The Pichu giggled at him as he left the alley, Kaida flying above, standing guard.

"You should be more careful." Joey continued talking to it as he walked, earning himself a few odd looks, "I won't be around to protect you every time you get into trouble."

"Pichu?" The tiny yellow Pokémon tilted its head at him, as if asking a question.

"Because I'll be in..." Joey trailed off. No, he wouldn't be in school, he'd been expelled...

"Pici?" The Pichu tugged on his school jacket. "Pi chu pi?"

Joey was saved from trying to respond by his arrival at the Day Care. The Pichu leapt down from his arms and confirmed Joey's earlier suspicion that it was one of Denkou's by getting lambasted by its mother, or at least that was what it looked like to Joey.

"Rilu." Joey grinned at the small blue canine that came over to him the moment he'd taken five steps in the door and bowed to him.

"Good morning, Ku." Joey bowed back as Kaida slipped in through the huge doors just before they shut behind him, "How are you?"

The fighting type Pokémon, who seemed to have latched onto Joey since he'd fought with it a couple of weeks ago, started talking, pausing to let Joey make the appropriate sounds in the right places. Joey was never sure if the Pokémon knew he couldn't understand it properly or not, but it made the Pokémon happy, so he didn't really mind if it did or not.

"Rilu, ri?" The Pokémon asked.

That was the usual question which Joey had always taken to mean that it was asking how his day had been. Today, however he didn't really want to talk about it.

"Want to practise some more?" Joey asked instead, punching the air to show his meaning. He would head for the hospital later. If he didn't work out some of his anger now, he'd never be able to hold his temper there.

"Ri." The aura Pokémon nodded, it too, punching the air, "Rilou ri riolu..."

"Alright, let's start."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Shadow wielder and holder of the Millennium Ring, Ryou Bakura is believed to be the driving force being the steady disappearance of the Pokémon belonging to the Team within the Otherworld. The self proclaimed 'Thief King' is a known and capable accomplice to the Champion, Francis. Lacks Team strength, but has powers that make up for it. Plans in motion for dealing with the problem.**_

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Canalave Rend – Abandoned Hotel**

Valon was uncomfortable as he waited for the one who had called him out.

The Trainers who currently lived at the Canalave Rend had horror stories of this place. Even during the height of the crowding in the city the building had been left well alone. Especially after a group of four had risked sleeping in the old hotel and fallen into a sleep from which they had yet to awaken. He'd been told the stories and while he didn't think that the Pitch-Black Pokémon, the Legendary nightmare bringer, Darkrai, had been Rended with the hotel he didn't like the idea of hanging around to find out.

Still this was where he'd agreed to meet with Jamie's boyfriend and it was secluded enough for him to be able to move against him if necessary without alerting the two he was supposed to be converting to his boss's cause to what he'd done.

He was too busy musing over his progress he'd made with Mai to notice the Shadows climbing the walls until it was too late and his passage out was blocked by the darkness that had him imprisoned. He reached for his deck as he realised what was going on, his ring carrying the oricelcite, the stone linked to the power of the Orichalcos, glowing brightly, shielding him from the creatures that wanted to rip him limb from limb.

"Don't be so foolish." A voice floated out of the darkness as he found he couldn't get into his deck pouch, "I know your game and I'm not stupid enough to let you turn my own trap against me."

Valon grimaced at that. He'd thought he was being careful. He hadn't used the Orichalcos against anyone in town. He'd been careful to avoid letting anyone see his deck. He'd even hidden his Duel Disk in his bag so he wouldn't be caught out that way.

"Oh please." The voice continued as something stepped out of the darkness, slowly shifting from purple smoke, to a humanoid shape, and finally taking the form of the white haired, brown eyed teenager that had been hanging around the Pokémon Centre. "You reek of that stuff." He gestured to Valon's ring, "And I'm done with you trying to pawn it off on my girlfriend."

"I..." Valon scowled as he realised he actually couldn't deny that he'd been trying to convert Jamie to his cause. Not for lack of wanting to, he physically couldn't. "What's is this? What have you done?"

"It's simple really." Bakura sniggered, always amused by the panic that occurred in the first few moments of a Shadow Game. No matter how well the opponent hid it, it was always there. Even the Pharaoh's apparent rage always masked that hint of panic, that fear that this time, this oh so important time, he wouldn't be good enough, that he'd fail. Valon was no different.

"So explain it." Valon grumbled, pissed that he'd walked into Bakura's trap rather than the other way around.

"I'm surprised you haven't heard of the Shadow Games considering that you're hunting a certain Pharaoh." Bakura chuckled menacingly, "I'd've thought that was the first thing your boss would have warned you about."

Valon paled slightly. Yes, his boss had warned him about the possibility of running into a Shadow Game, but the seal should have been able to override it. Apparently Bakura had taken that little fact into account when he'd activated his magic and locked his deck down so he couldn't activate it.

It was a clever plan. That didn't mean Valon had to like it.

"So what's the rules?" Valon demanded, "How do I get out of this hellhole?"

"All you have to do to get out of here," Bakura said as the game set itself up between them, "Is defeat me."

"And the rules?" Valon demanded, well aware it wasn't going to be that easy.

"As for the rules well..." Bakura settled on a chair at the table that had emerged from the darkness between them, "Come and find out..."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Mokuba Kaiba, the Vice-CEO of Kaiba Corp, the company founding the Japanese Pokémon League and funding the Day Care Centre is under observation by Agent Oracle. Already confirmed to not be in possession of the Master Ball, he is, however in constant contact with ALL of Francis's Chosen Trainers and hence in possession of knowledge that could be vital to our Organisation. **_

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Domino, Japan – Kaiba Corp**

Mokuba, who was on his way to his office, jumped a mile as a tiny, pinked haired girl popped out of thin air and clung to him, sobbing.

"Oracle?" He asked, pulling the girl away, confused as to why an enemy was clinging to him.

"Don't call me that!" The girl sobbed, pulling away from the vice-CEO of Kaiba Corp and glaring daggers at him. "My name's Cassandra. Cass. An. Dra!"

"How was I supposed to know?" Mokuba asked her, his tone more snappish than he intended, causing her to flinch. He paused and took a deep breath before speaking again, "I'm sorry but you've never introduced yourself as anything but Oracle." He looked her over properly, leading her to his office when he realised that there was something seriously the matter, "What's wrong?"

Cassandra considered him carefully for a moment, "Why do you care after what Spectre and Venom did to your friends?"

"Because it's not normal for an enemy to come running to me in tears? Because you've been coming and going for the last month and not hurt anyone? How about because you look like you genuinely need help?" Mokuba shot back before ordering his secretary to bring them some tea. "Now, care to share?"

"I don't know where to start." Cassandra murmured, sitting on the chair offered, "You were right."

Mokuba stopped dead on the spot for a moment as he tried to work out what he'd been 'right' about. Then it hit him. "They're using you?"

"They're using all of us." The Psychic PKNE spoke softly, as if she was afraid of being overheard. "They promised us a world where we'd never have to live in fear again. Where we'd be accepted. They lied. They're planning on getting rid of us before the New World's complete."

"I'm sorry." Mokuba offered, not sure what else to say.

"I read minds." Cassandra informed him, "You know I do." When Mokuba nodded, she continued, "But I won't normally read my friends' minds, it's rude."

"Makes sense." Mokuba nodded his agreement.

"Anyway, two weeks ago, just before we attacked your brother's school, I'd been doing a lot of all nighters so I wasn't being as careful as I should have been and I overheard some of Mars's thoughts..." Cassandra trailed off for a moment when Mokuba grimaced at the mention of the attack. When he gestured for her to continue she sighed heavily and looked at the floor, "I wanted to have heard wrong so I went hunting through our files."

"And you didn't?" Mokuba asked, wondering what the girl could have found to have her come running to him.

The thirteen year old Pokémon Trainer turned to the thirteen year old Vice-CEO and shook her head.

"Flame knew Mars before she was Mars, he's safe. But the rest of us... You remember how I told you how Mars won my loyalty?"

Mokuba didn't have to think very hard. Oracle had been in his life less than a month and he remembered that tale far too well.

"They saved you from Team Cypher, the bad guys of Orre." Mokuba nodded, remembering Oracle's tale of how she'd been experimented on because of her powers and how Team Galactic had broken her free.

"They didn't rescue me." The pink haired girl shook her head, "I was a trade. Mars has me firmly labelled in her mind as 'Original Trainer: Team Cypher.'"

"A trade?" Mokuba yelped, "You said you weren't really Pokémon."

"We're not!" Cassandra growled at him, her eyes glowing pink for a moment causing Mokuba to back off. The girl swiftly tried to calm herself down, speaking carefully as she did so, "We're not, we're human, just like you or your brother."

"Then you can't be traded, surely." Mokuba looked confused.

"I didn't think so." She replied miserably, "But apparently Snow and Flame hunted down an awakened Dragon positive and Mars traded him for me." She winced at Mokuba's furious hiss. "The others have no idea. They've all been snared in their own ways but only Flame, Snow and Mars know about the Dragon."

"Can we save him?" Mokuba asked, thinking quickly.

"No." If anything Cassandra's shoulders sank even further at that, projecting enough shame, guilt and misery to have Mokuba wanting to burst in tears himself, "He's in the real..." She paused and sighed, "In the Pokémon World and we're here."

"In the unreal one?" Mokuba teased slightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Heh." Cassandra snorted, a small smile gracing her features for a moment before it vanished as she turned serious and stood up. Mokuba frowned slightly, wondering what she was up to, only for confusion to turn to shock as the psychic PKNE bowed to Mokuba. Not just a normal, friendly bow, or a bow of equals, but a full, on the knees, prostrate bow. "Mokuba Kaiba." She spoke confidently, if nervously, "If you can forgive my past actions long enough for us to do away with Team Galactic, I would like to join your side."

"Wha?" Mokuba yelped, confused as hell.

"Galactic are planning on betray me and those I consider family. I can't let that happen." Cassandra told him, looking up at him with a pleading expression, "Please, let me help you."

Mokuba thought about it for a few moments. He could forgive her, in fact he'd already forgiven her, but then he'd gotten to know her. He had to ask though. "Is this a trick?" Mokuba asked, "I let you in, share secrets with you and then you stab us in the back..."

"No! I'm not like that!" The pink haired girl shook her head violently, "If I was Eris, maybe, she's loyal to herself and no one else, but I'm not!"

Mokuba sighed. "It's not my side. We follow Yugi. He'll forgive you..." The words 'if he ever wakes' refused to escape his lips, "But his friends might be harder to win over."

"I can but try."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Relationships with Paradius is strained at best and dissolving at worst. Dartz, the CEO of the company, has the traitor, Nanoha Miko, under his command but refuses to hand the former Galactic Grunt over due to events caused by Agent Spectre. Recommendation: Cease funding and aid to the Elemental Grunt project and focus on the final stages of the plan.**_

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Otherworld Galactic Hidden Headquarters – Boss's Office**

Cyrus didn't need this. Not on top of the problems Cypher were causing them back in the Pokémon World.

After Canalave had been Rended, Evice had stormed into their joint headquarters and demanded to speak to him there and then.

During that meeting, though it could better termed a shouting match, the leader of Team Cypher had informed him that they were withdrawing their support from Galactic's cause after losing their strongest Pokémon to the Rend.

Personally Cyrus wasn't sorry to see the Shadow Legendaries and their Trainer vanish into the Otherworld. He had been concerned for a long time about the power that Team Cypher had held, and to effectively neuter them had pleased him no end.

But he did not need Paradius causing trouble on top of that so when he'd phoned through to demand the return of the Grunt who had wiped out the computer systems in the Otherworld base and Dartz's secretary had informed him that he'd have to wait on hold, it hadn't been a good sign.

"Dartz," Cryus started, having come across from the Pokeworld for this call, "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"You?" Dartz looked like he very much wanted to teach Cyrus a lesson for some reason, "Dare to claim I have something of yours after what you have stolen?"

"What, exactly, is it you think we've stolen?" Cyrus growled back, unwilling to take any of Dartz's crap. He only suffered the other man's crap because it was his weakening of the barrier between worlds that allowed for the consistent and continued arrival of his men and projects in the same dimension. He didn't need Paradius to complete his plans, they just made it easier.

"For five thousand years I've waited for the Pharaoh to reincarnate. Five. Thousand. Years. And then, just when I'm ready to make my move, _your_ men shattered the Pharaoh's holding cell and murdered the soul of the Pharaoh's vessel! I might not have to wait another five thousand years, might! But your actions have set me back at least another thousand years! Souls that powerful don't come around every day! Your entire Grunt army wouldn't be worth even half of what the Pharaoh's soul is worth!" Dartz's tone suddenly shifted from righteous anger to malicious amusement, "So whatever you think it is of yours I have, you won't be getting it back."

"I require the traitor, Nanoha Miko." Cyrus snarled, "And you will hand her over. She is only on loan to you after all."

"She's not a traitor, Cyrus, she's a very loyal minion, as long as you mean her true boss, the one you drove into hiding." Dartz snorted, ill amused by Cyrus's attempt to order him around. "And I suggest you don't order me around. I am not your minion, Cyrus and I suggest that, before you think about doing something stupid, you remember that if the Pharaoh was a 'Legendary Class' threat, my power far outweighs his."

With that Dartz disconnected the call, leaving Cyrus to glare at the black screen.

So much for the diplomatic route.

**LINE_RECOGNTION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Yugi Mutou, who was previously classified as a Legendary Class threat, is no longer an issue. Agent Spectre attempted to recover information or the Master Ball from him two weeks ago. Master Ball discovered not to be in Mutou's possession, and no information was forth coming, but the focus for his power, the Millennium Puzzle has been shattered and Mutou has fallen into a coma since his questioning. Likelihood of recovery slim to none. **_

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Domino, Japan – Domino Central Hospital**

"If you're here for Yuge's God Cards or his Puzzle," Joey growled at the newcomer in Yugi's room as he finally got into the hospital, "Then you'll have to go through me." When he recognised who was in the room he did a double take. "Kaiba?"

"Stow it Mutt. I have every right to be here." The CEO of Kaiba Corp snarled at his long time enemy, then reigned it in as the blonde teen's hands balled into fists. It wasn't hard to work out who really held the Master Ball now. It had to be Wheeler, purely because Yugi hadn't had it, neither had Francis and no one else could defend themselves against Galactic.

Not that he believed such a thing was possible, but Wheeler was probably itching to use the Lord of Time to head back into the past and save his friend. That he hadn't was either a testimony to the rest of Yugi's friends keeping the Mutt in line, or the Mutt's own loyalty to Yugi, who obviously hadn't given the location away. Yugi's injuries were pointless, after all, if Wheeler outted the secret.

Joey just snorted at him, settling in the chair opposite Kaiba's before taking Yugi's deck out of the second deck pouch he'd attached to his belt and placing it in Yugi's hand, feeling that his friend might be able to draw strength from its heart, just as the deck drew strength from his.

"You've been carrying his deck?" Kaiba looked a little shocked at that fact.

"Of course." Joey shrugged, not really wanting to talk to Kaiba but not seeing any way around it without sitting there in silence. "It's not safe for it to stay here. Not with the God cards prime targets. The only reason I leave the Puzzle pieces here is because they're useless without Yugi awake to put it back together. If anyone else tried to assemble it, they'd go batshit."

Kaiba frowned slightly in confusion, having not heard that story before.

"Yuge never told you?" Joey asked, then snorted, "Of course he didn't. He doesn't talk to you because you keep pushing away the one guy who might actually _like_ to be your friend."

Kaiba didn't know what to say to that so he settled for changing the subject. He wasn't even sure why he was trying to be civil to the mutt, but something told him he should. "How are his Pokémon fairing?"

"Bast and Okibi?" Joey asked, surprised by the question. "They're shaken up, as you can imagine. A Trainer's like a partner or a good friend, so for this to happen and him not to call them out..."

"How do you know that? I thought you didn't know he was hurt until after..." Kaiba actually trailed off as he realised Wheeler was shaking in his seat with a combination of guilt and rage.

"They weren't hurt. Either Yuge couldn't send them out, or he wouldn't put them at risk." Joey's tone betrayed the emotions the blonde was trying to suppress, "One way Yuge got trapped and there was nothing he could do, the other's typical Yugi style stupidity."

Kaiba just snorted at that. The Puzzle smashing explained why the Pharaoh hadn't just Gamed their attacker and got out of there and it would be Yugi all over not to put his Pokémon in danger for his own sake. The problem was he was running out of topics to discuss with Wheeler. He hadn't exactly kept his issues with the Mutt quiet and he didn't do small talk unless it was vital to business. It was pointless.

An awkward silence fell between the two, the only sounds the steady beeping of Yugi's heart monitor, the chattering outside the room and the few sounds floating in the open window.

Eventually Kaiba gave up. There was no point to him being here. He wasn't contributing anything and the mutt obviously didn't want him there. As he moved to leave however, Wheeler stood, looking disgruntled. "I need coffee. You want one?"

Kaiba blinked at him, shocked by the offer. Knowing Wheeler there would probably be something wrong with it, but still the offer had been made. "Black, two sugars." He heard himself reply before his train of thought had reached the station. Wheeler just nodded in response and left the room, leaving Kaiba alone with Yugi.

A part of Kaiba remembered the days when, if this opportunity had arisen he would have raided Yugi's deck for every rare card in it and then left. None of this waiting around business.

Something in the room shifted. Kaiba couldn't explain the feeling, nor could he explain why he had shot to his feet and drawn the Millennium Rod out from under his coat before glowering around the room, but he moved between Yugi and the section of the room the weird feeling was coming from. "Show yourself!"

The CEO scowled as a certain turbaned Egyptian pain the rear stepped out of the Shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"The Pharaoh's vessel must awaken and reassemble the Puzzle. The Pharaoh is still needed." Shadi informed him.

"And where have you been for the last two weeks?" Kaiba growled, bristling, though he didn't realise it, at Shadi's complete lack of concern for Yugi. Shadi didn't respond to Kaiba's comment, merely attempted to step around the CEO to reach his target, only for the teenager to shift position, keeping between the pair.

"I am fully aware that you find my presence detestable, Priest." Shadi spoke in a slight monotone, only raising Kaiba's ire, "But if you do not remove yourself from my path, I cannot awaken the Pharaoh's vessel."

Kaiba paused momentarily, considering the man in front of him. "And how, exactly, do you plan on doing that?"

"My Millennium Key allows me to enter the soul rooms of other people. I can use it to bring the Pharaoh's vessel back to the world of the living." Shadi pointed out in a 'matter of fact' tone.

"And you didn't think to do this two weeks ago because why?"

"Because two weeks ago the Pharaoh's vessel wouldn't have survived if I'd tried it." Shadi tone actually took on a hint of anger at the suggestion that he had failed his King, "It needed the time to recover."

"_He_ has a name." Kaiba snapped irritably, "And I would suggest that you start using it." Internally grimacing as he realised he was beginning to sound like one of the cheerleading squad and obviously the time spent with Yugi during the lessons on Shadow Magic was affecting him more than he realised.

"_Yugi_," And the emphasis Shadi put on the teen's name made Seto snort, "Needs my help. Now stand aside, Kaiba, or I will remove you."

"You dare to threaten me?" Kaiba growled, Millennium Rod beginning to glow.

"D...Don't..." Both speakers jumped and turned to face the bed where a very ill looking, heavily shaking Yugi had forced himself into a sitting position and was watching them with concern.

"Yugi!" Kaiba was louder than he intended, and the relief in his tone made him wince, "You finally bothered to join us then." He snorted, watching as amusement crossed Yugi's face.

"I...I sensed...your magic." Yugi tried to explain, "Woke me up..."

"It's nothing I can't..." Kaiba glowered at the empty space that had been where Shadi had been stood milliseconds earlier. "Where'd he go?"

Yugi chuckled weakly, "S...Shadi does that."

"Lie down before you fall down." Kaiba snorted at Yugi, who gracelessly slumped back onto the bed before adjusting himself to be able to be both horizontal and looking at Kaiba at the same time. "What took you so long?" The CEO grouched at Yugi, who responded with a watery smile.

"S...Sorry..." Yugi offered, his eyes drooping for a moment before he blinked and shook his head, "I...I'm awake."

"You only woke up because we were throwing magic around." It was a statement rather than a question and Kaiba wondered how long Yugi was going to manage to stay awake and aware.

"Sensed it. Knew I needed to stop it." Yugi replied, beginning to drift off again, but trying to stay awake long enough to say what needed to be said, "You're my friend. Didn't want you getting hurt." For a moment it looked like he'd drifted off again, then Yugi sat bolt upright suddenly, eyes wide, let out a pained moan, clutched his stomach and fell back. "Puzzle?" He asked with a whimper.

"Stay down." Kaiba snapped at him as he crossed the room in two strides and pulled the sandwich bag of Puzzle pieces out of the cupboard that held Yugi's clothes before moving back across and dumping it next to Yugi, "It's here. It's fine, Francis is fine, the mutt's fine. Everyone's fine except you. So stop being a moron and rest. Once Wheeler gets back with my coffee, I'll leave you in peace."

Yugi was surprised enough by that statement that his attention went from the bag of Puzzle pieces to Kaiba and stayed there. "You let him buy you coffee?"

"He offered." Kaiba shrugged.

"Yes, but..." Yugi trailed off as Joey re-entered the room, carrying two cups of coffee, both of which got dropped when Joey saw that Yugi's eyes were open.

"Yuge!" Joey glomped his friend, only to back off a couple of feet when Yugi yelped in pain. "Sorry."

"I...It's okay." Yugi tried to reassure Joey, who was looking a mixture of guilty and relieved that looked really quite odd on his features.

"No, it's not." Joey shook his head, "I..." He trailed off as he realised Yugi had fallen asleep.

"Leave it for now, Wheeler." Kaiba advised, "At least until he can stay awake long enough to hear you out."

Joey wanted to snap at the CEO but found he couldn't. For the first time, Kaiba wasn't offering sarcasm or a barb, but an honest piece of advice and he didn't know how to take it. Then he realised what was in Kaiba's hand and the pieces fit into place.

As he'd headed down to the canteen, he'd been puzzling over why Kaiba suddenly seemed so worried about Yugi and tried to be civil to him. Him holding a Millennium Item kind of made it make sense. "Yugi's been teaching you, hasn't he?" Joey asked. "That's why you've actually started worrying about him."

Kaiba grimaced as he hid the Millennium Rod away again. "Not a word leaves this room or I'll sue you for every penny you've got. Got it?"

Joey just snorted, "Yeah, yeah whatever." He waved Kaiba's threat off, "I'm going to go get some tissue and another couple of coffees. You'd better still be here when I get back. I want answers."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

_**Master Ball is still primary concern for Otherworld Expedition but have minor concerns about Paradius sticking their nose in where it isn't wanted. Otherworld Trainer threat being taken care of and the thief stealing Galactic's Pokémon will be dealt with upon return to Domino, Japan. **_

_**End Report.**_


	2. Stolen

It was never silent in the halls of Domino Central Hospital, but after lights out there was a fair approximation of it.

The nurses and doctors quietly did their rounds, not wanting to wake their charges. The charges in question were either fast asleep or semi-silently reading or playing handheld games by the light of their bedside lamp, trying to avoid attracting attention or waking their roommates. For those lucky few who had single rooms the silence was made almost complete by their closed doors and their curtains hid them from sight, giving them a little more leeway than those who had to share with others.

For a certain teenager with tri-coloured hair whose hospital bills were being funded by his place of employment, this meant that he could sneak in his two Pokémon - a small, six-tailed red fox and a large beige feline and as long as they hid when they heard the door open and didn't make any trouble.

It also meant that you could hear a pin drop, so when the teenager in question mumbled in his sleep, the other figure in the room heard every word of it and stopped dead on the spot, hoping for a moment that he wasn't waking up.

When the teen curled tighter around the broken golden object he was cuddling and settled back down, the second human in the room let out a soft sigh of relief.

The icy blue haired girl didn't quite understand her current mission, only that it had to be her team to undertake it. None of the older Paradius members could do it. Alister wasn't suited, Raphael would have done something drastic and Valon hadn't reported in for the last week or so.

So instead she and Miko had slipped quietly into the hospital to recover three of the pieces of her benefactor's plan. This part she understood, taking away the enemy's strongest Pokémon so they could be looked after properly and couldn't be used to hurt anyone else. What didn't quite click in her head was the reasoning behind leaving behind the Puzzle that contained the soul of the King her sister was on the run from.

She understood that moving it would be dangerous, she'd overheard the Galactics discussing a 'Legendary class' threat, but the boy who was curled around the broken Puzzle, sleeping peacefully, didn't look dangerous. Besides surely she'd be doing the boy a favour by removing the item that had been brainwashing him. That way he'd be free of the darkness that was trying to consume him and Jamie could come out of hiding.

Carefully looking through the boy's deck before she did anything else, she eased out the three cards she was looking for, trying to ignore the feeling of power radiating from them as she did so. It felt like they were burning her hands as she removed them from their Trainer's possession, as if they didn't want to be rescued. Though she examined her hands swiftly once she'd pocketed the cards and found nothing marking them, she still felt like she'd been burned as she moved carefully and quietly to the boy's bedside.

The Legendary class threat looked pretty harmless asleep like this, but then she'd heard the horror stories about Trainers who had made the mistake of poking a sleeping legendary often enough that she didn't want to risk waking the boy. Dartz didn't seem to think he was that dangerous and that it was the Pharaoh who was the one to watch out for. However she had, during her brief stay as Galactic's 'guest' directly after Canalave had been rended, heard that it was Yugi Mutou who had Legendary level power not some King from the ancient past.

Was it possible that they were both wielders of a Legendary class power? Dartz had told her himself that it was the Puzzle's fault that poor Yugi was host to the evil King. Obviously the boy was just another victim of the King's greed, just like her sister. The King was obviously just using the boy's power as his own.

Scooping up a couple of pieces of the Puzzle she'd been ordered to leave alone, she backed away as she examined them. They didn't look like much, just golden shards of something much larger whose shape she couldn't grasp from looking at the pieces.

"Mau..."

She froze and turned to look at the source of the low, growling meow and grimaced as she realised that the boy's Persian had awoken and was stalking towards her, hissing as it did so. She reached for her Pokeballs, only for the huge Classy Cat Pokémon to leap at her, trying to pin her.

She narrowly dodged the huge Kanto based Pokémon only for it to crash into the bed, knocking it over. The boy on it let out a terrified yelp as he was shocked awake by the impact and the sensation of falling before landing on the ground hard, Puzzle pieces landing everywhere.

"Bast?" The boy asked, getting to his feet as quickly as he could, though she could see that it took him a lot of effort to do so, "What's... Jamie? Why...?"

She stared at him for a moment and he stared back, then she bolted dropping one of the pieces she'd picked up as she did so, not willing to get into a brawl with him and his Pokémon when she knew full damn well she was no match for a Legendary class threat.

"H...Hey! Wait!" It took him a moment as what she'd dropped and the sight of his deck scattered across the table registered in his mind, then footsteps followed her. The sound faltered and stumbled in places as the boy's injuries kept him from catching her and allowed her to reach the stairwell before him. Still he followed, giving chase to the thief and managing to gain ground as he used the banister to slide down and she got caught running in the halls by one of the nurses.

As she crossed the threshold of the door to the outside world the Puzzle piece was snatched out of her hand by the older Trainer who'd been sent with her. Miko shoved her, indicating for her to continue running before planting herself in the way of the boy who was literally just seconds behind her, reaching for one of her Pokeballs as she did so.

"Yugi!" Miko called to the boy, who was shaking heavily with the exertion of chasing the thief, showing him what she held as she did so. The teen had been asleep through most of the last week and comatose for the fortnight previously, suffering from wounds of both body and soul that had been caused by Spectre and his ghost Pokémon. He could barely stand but still he refused to back down.

"Give that back!" Yugi demanded, watching the Puzzle piece glinting in her hand, his voice wavering as he spoke, thick with anger, fear and exhaustion.

"You want it, you'll have to fight me for it." Miko replied, urging her companion to run as she did so. She took the Bug Trainer's advice on the matter, heading for the rendezvous point as Miko sent out one of the Pokémon she'd picked up in case something went wrong and Yugi's Persian stepped forward.

She sent out a scout as she ran, leaving Miko behind to battle the Legendary class human. She narrowly avoided being roasted when a fire attack, possibly Flamethrower roared up the alley she had sprinted down. Pausing in her sprint to turn around, wondering if the boy had managed to fight his way past Miko so quickly, she saw the boy's Vulpix glowering at her but no Trainer.

Well as much as she felt mean for doing it, she had a sure fire method of getting rid of fire types. "Tide, I choose you!"

The huge Swampert appeared from its Pokeball in a flash of light and bellowed at the small fox who, to its credit, was as stubborn as its Trainer and didn't back down.

"Vulpix Vul! Vulpix!" The red six tailed fox shouted at them.

"Tide, Hydro Pump!"

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

Jamie frowned as the phone on her Pokegear rang. What did Kaiba want now?

"Jamie speaking."

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Kaiba sounded furious, much to Jamie's shock.

"Kaiba, I have no idea what you're talking about." Jamie growled back only to get snapped at.

"Where are the God cards?" Kaiba demanded with a snarl.

"How in Arceus's name would I..."

"You broke into Yugi's room last night and stole them, that's how."

It took Jamie a moment to recover from the shock then she glowered down the phone as she snarled, "Kaiba, you know full damn well I'm not allowed out of the PokéCentre right now. How the hell could I have gone from Canalave to Domino and back again in one night. What do you think I did, walked through the Torn Dimension?"

"I don't know how you did it, but I have video footage of you fleeing from the hospital last night."

"That's not... Oh Mew..." Jamie's face paled as she suddenly realised who it could have been, "Kaiba, you might need to check your footage again. I think you'll find that it's not me on that camera but a younger model."

There was silence for a moment, then Kaiba's voice came over the line, deadpan and slightly exasperated, "You have a younger sister."

Jamie could hear that it wasn't a question, but she responded anyway. "Yeah. Lizzie. She's three years younger than me. I thought she was on the other side of the Rend."

"That makes her twelve." She couldn't read Kaiba's tone at all, "I'll be checking your story."

"'Kura was with me last night, and Nurse Joy can vouch for me too." Jamie informed her boss milliseconds before the call dropped. She stared at the phone for a few moments longer before tossing it across the room to bounce off of her backpack and hit the floor. Her head sank into her hands as concern coursed through her, "What have you gotten yourself into, Liz?" She asked the empty air around her.

"Jay?" Mai asked as she entered the room, having seen the flying phone go past the window next to the door, "Everything alright?"

Jamie's bitter laughter wasn't a reassuring answer.

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

The nameless spirit of the Puzzle gazed around at his surroundings.

After uncountable years of being trapped within the darkness, it was weird to be in an area that while not brightly lit was not coated in Shadows, but instead was built of dimly lit stone passageways, staircases and hundreds upon hundreds of doors.

Curiosity pulled the nameless ghost in two directions for a moment, wanting to both examine his surroundings and find out how he'd been freed. Eventually the need to find out how he'd been freed from his long imprisonment and why drew him towards the exit and towards the light he could sense beyond.

Stepping from 'his' room and into the corridor beyond, he paused between the two rooms, noting the differences between the room he'd awoken in and the one that contained the light that drew him in, like a moth to the flame.

His room was dim, cold and dank, pushing at his mind as if trying to both tell him something and not at the same time. Just from the few moments he'd been awake in there, he knew there were secrets that were held deep within the maze's depths.

The room across the corridor however was much brighter and he could feel the heat radiating out of the door. The presence inside was bright, incredibly so, except... Concern coursed through the spirit as he stepped into the room, making sure he didn't step on any of the toys that were spread all over the floor. Examining the room carefully the spirit's heart skipped a beat, or it would have done had it been beating in the first place, as his eyes fell on the sole inhabitant.

A young boy with spiky black hair whose red tips drooped and whose blonde bangs covered his eyes was fast asleep on the bed at the back of the room but that wasn't what had affected the ghost so badly. In fact the ghost didn't understand why his emotions fluctuated so wildly as he took in the burns that went up the boy's arms and disappeared under his top, the clamminess of the boy's skin and the obvious injuries that looked like they were slowly starting to heal.

However the spirit knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he needed to protect the young man and help him recover if he could. Carefully moving around the room, he stopped at the boy's bedside, trying to understand why the sight of the badly wounded teen both drove him to insane fury and guilt so deep it rocked him to his core. He reached down and went to brush the boy's bangs away from his eyes only for contact with the boy's skin to kick start something within his mind as the final piece of his soul clicked into place.

He wasn't nameless, he had a name, it wasn't his real name but he was happy to answer to it and this boy, this teen who he felt an insane urge to protect, was his light, his savour, his best friend.

The spirit's name was Yami and the boy on the bed was Yugi Mutou.

"Yugi!" Yami yelped, the boy's injuries meaning so much more to him now he understood everything properly again, his mind swiftly searching through his memories of what had happened preceding his return to the Shadows in order to find the cause for his light's state.

He remembered Anubis, he remembered oversleeping and Yugi having to rush to school, having to sit though a whole day of boring teachers and trouble causing ghosts...

"Ghosts!" Yami snarled, reaching the memories of his light being held prisoner by a Trainer's Dusknoir and the fact the Puzzle had been shattered when he had tried to activate a Shadow Game to win his light's freedom and punish the one who had dared try and torture information out of Yugi.

Spectre had obviously kept trying to get that information from his light after the Puzzle had shattered and Yami had been sent back into the darkness that had held him before Yugi had set him free. He wouldn't have gotten it though. It wasn't possible for Yugi to have given it to Spectre even if he had been willing to do so. Not after what Yugi had done.

Yami tried to wake Yugi as his mind flashed over the memory of Yugi's plan. The hikari had come to Yami after they'd sat in on the discussion about what was going to happen to the Masterball and asked if Yami would do him a huge favour. Offering Yami a small figurine which contained all of Yugi's memories about the Masterball, he had asked Yami to hide it in the maze within the Millennium Puzzle.

Yami hadn't been happy in the slightest at the suggestion. That Yugi had admitted that he was planning for a situation where the Puzzle had been taken from him or worse, smashed, piqued Yami's pride as Yugi's protector, but he had seen the sense behind Yugi's request. He had often had nightmares of what could happen on those rare occasions where Yugi took the Puzzle off and unfortunately Yugi had been right when he had said that he was the weak link. Without the Millennium Puzzle and Yami, Yugi had no real way to defend himself. His Pokémon weren't as strong as Jamie's or Joey's and he had no powers of his own that he could use in their place.

Hence why Yugi had wanted Yami to hide the memory away. He couldn't betray his friends, even unwillingly, if he didn't have the information in his mind to surrender. Yami had gone along with it, though he had been against the plan from the beginning, not wanting to believe there would come a time that he wouldn't be there for Yugi when he needed him. Now he was semi-glad he had, though he didn't want to admit to what he would have done to keep Yugi from being reduced to the state he was in.

When it became obvious that Yugi wasn't going to wake easily, Yami made sure that his light was comfortable and slipped into control of the body to see if he could find out how long he'd been out and what had happened in that time. Despite the need for information, Yami swiftly wished he hadn't bothered. His stomach felt like it was one solid bruise, it hurt to move and though it wasn't in as bad a condition as Yugi's soul which had been the focus for Spectre's assault, the body still ached enough from half healed wounds that Yami let out a hiss as he forced himself to sit up.

"Easy Yuge." Joey was half out of his chair before Yami had finished the action, concern obvious. "You took quite a beating."

"How long?" Yami asked, knowing Joey well enough to tell that the blonde knew which Yugi he was speaking to.

"Almost three weeks." Joey admitted slowly, as if dreading his reaction to that news.

"Three...?" Yami couldn't decide if he was concerned or relieved about that. Considering his amnesia when he'd first awoken, he'd dreaded that it had been months or worse, though on deeper thought Yugi would have, or at least should have, recovered had it really been that long. Still three weeks was a considerable amount of time. When he finally got to cast judgement on Spectre back for his crimes against his hikari, Yami would make sure that the time was repaid in full.

"Are _you_ alright?" Joey asked, the emphasis on 'you' causing the former Pharaoh to realise that Joey had been concerned for his safety too, not just Yugi's. It was a nice feeling to know that Yugi's friends were also his own, even if he felt guilty for worrying them.

"I'm fine." Yami replied honestly. There was nothing wrong with him that time and a little magic couldn't fix. "What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me." Joey said with a slight frown, "I mean I know the after but...?"

"Yugi took spirit form to chase the ghost down." Yami answered the half question, knowing that Yugi had informed Joey of his ability to do so back when his friend had wanted to know how he got the ghost Pokémon to behave, "He got ahead of me, ghosted through a wall and got captured by Spectre's Dusknoir. By the time I managed to get into the gym, Spectre was already questioning him and the Puzzle was smashed before I could save him."

Joey let out a soft sigh at the guilt in Yami's tone, having felt much the same way himself for the last few weeks, "Why didn't he just jump into the Puzzle?"

"Couldn't." Yami replied bitterly, "There was something keeping me from pulling him back into his soul room. I assume that it was preventing Yugi from jumping there on his own too. Some kind spell that shows itself as an evil eye."

Joey winced, "Red eye with yellow around the cornea? Ominous feeling attached? Kind of scary?"

"I wouldn't say it was scary..."

"Mean Look." Joey snorted, "Stops Pokémon from running away or switching out. Works on ghost Pokémon, must work on human spirits too."

Yami didn't voice his thoughts. Most of them were rude and aimed at a certain Trainer friend of theirs who had brought this all down on their heads. "What happened afterwards?" He demanded of the blonde in the chair next to his bed, "Has anyone heard from Mai or Jamie?"

Joey opened his mouth to say something, shut it again, stared at him for a moment then realisation dawned on his features, "You never heard did you?"

"What?" Yami demanded, "What's happened?"

"Jamie and Mai were attacked the day before we were. Jamie nearly died. Luckily they made it to the Canalave Rend in time." Joey informed him, anger obvious but not aimed at Yami but at the ones who were systematically trying to off his friends. "Bakura's warned me that Venom's his to deal with and if I get in his way Marik's Shadow Game will seem tame in comparison to what he has planned."

"Are they alright now?" Yami asked, knowing that Yugi would want to know when he awoke.

"Mai's fine, a few scrapes and a nasty jolt of Thunderbolt that gave her the shakes for a week or so, but she's okay now. Jamie's still recovering. The combined poisons in her system did a number on her nervous system. She's walking now at least." Joey sounded incredibly relieved by that, "And between Bakura and their new friend, Valon, no Galactic goons' gunna get anywhere near them any time soon."

Silence fell between the pair for a moment as Yami tried to process what he'd been told then Joey let out a sigh, "By the way, I don't know if Yuge told you but we have a problem."

"I kind of guessed that already." Yami snorted, slightly amused. "I believe the problem's name is 'Team Galactic'."

"No, another one." Joey shook his head, handing over Yugi's deck as he did so. "Someone broke into your hospital room..." He trailed off as Yami flipped quickly through his deck, sensing the problem the moment his hand touched the deck of cards, but not believing it until he'd seen every card in it with his own eyes.

"Where are the God cards?"

"They got stolen." Joey answered then ducked for cover, expecting a Pharonic explosion and getting one as Yami's aura flared up to match his temper.

"By. Who?" Yami demanded, rage coursing through every millimetre of him, temporarily pushing away the pain as he tried to get out of bed to hunt down the thief and take back the cards that he and Joey had suffered to obtain.

"Don't get up!" Joey yelped, risking health and sanity by pushing his friend back onto the bed, "Once we know where she's gone, I'll let you go and Game her but..."

"Who. Was. It?" Yami demanded, wanting nothing more than to leave the hospital right now and retrieve them but unwilling to go through Joey to do so.

"Jamie's little sister. She's working for those dudes with the green seal."

"WHAT?"

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Author Note: A short chapter written mostly while I was laid up with a bad ankle. More to follow soon (hopefully)**


	3. Power Up

**ONE WEEK LATER: -**

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"You're sure you're alright?" Joey asked, worried when Yami stretched to get something from the top shelf of the cupboard that Yugi's stuff had been put in only to let out a soft hiss of pain and back up slightly.

"The Doctors have prescribed rest." Yami sighed, moving aside as Joey nudged him gently in order to do the stretching for him, "We can get that better at home where we're comfortable."

"But you never just rest at the shop." Joey pointed out as he lifted down a duffle bag so Yami could pack away the clothes and things that had been brought in to make the hospital stay a little more comfortable.

"I'll have to." Yami shrugged as he took the bag and started packing, "Besides, the less energy I expend the more I can send to Yugi to help him recover." When Joey fell silent Yami glanced over to his friend. Concern coursed through him as he took in the guilty look on Joey's face and the way his friend's hands were balled into fists so tightly his knuckles were going white but he didn't know what to say.

Yugi was much better at reassuring the others then he was. He was good at leading them in times of trouble and making sure everyone pulled through, but it was Yugi who was the heart of their group, Yugi who knew how to make people feel better and keep their spirits up.

"It wasn't your fault." Yami reminded him, "We..."

"I know. I know." Joey snarled at him, then caught himself and looked away, taking a deep breath and trying to calm himself. "I know." He said finally, "Short of giving away the fact I have Dialga, there's nothing I can do to change the past. I've heard this lecture."

"I'm not trying to lecture you, Joey." Yami frowned, "But Yugi doesn't blame you," At least the Pharaoh knew his other self wouldn't blame Joey but he had yet to manage to be awake at the same time as his other self to hear it from the horse's mouth, "And neither do I."

Joey didn't reply for a moment but Yami could see that he wanted to disagree or argue that they should, then the blonde Day Care worker changed the subject, "Risha and Daniels are pitching a fit about that cat."

Yami blinked at him, confused, "Cat?" He glanced at Bast. "What did she do this time?"

"Not her." Joey snorted, amusement sinking in, "The pink cat I was telling you about the other day. The one that seems to have moved into the park."

"The floating, psychic one that you told Jamie about over the phone and I could hear her delighted squeal across the other side of the room?" Yami asked, remembering that conversation.

"That's the one." Joey agreed. "Apparently it's incredibly rare, so rare some think it's just a legend."

"And there's one of these cats in our park?" Yami looked disbelieving.

"Yeah I know, what're the odds right?" Joey chuckled, "Probably about the same as my best friend completing an ancient puzzle and getting possessed by the ghost of a dead King."

Yami paused in shoving the final items, let out an amused and self depreciatory chuckle and then smiled at Joey, "Okay, I see your point."

"I occasionally have them." Joey grinned back, "You ready?"

"Yeap." Yami nodded, going to pick up the bag only for Joey to steal it out from under his nose.

"Resting, remember?" Joey scolded him with a cheeky grin.

"I'm not made of glass." Yami scowled as he followed Joey out. Joey just ignored the Pharaoh's grouching, something he was getting very good at doing, and flipped open his phone. Joey scowled as he read something on screen. "Joey?"

"Mokuba." He explained, "Apparently the limo he was supposed to be sending is stuck in traffic." Joey's hand strayed to his belt where his deck and his pokéballs rested, the same belt he had gotten as a gift from Jamie and Mai. Yami could almost read his mind and was ready for when Joey turned to him with a grin and stated, "Kaida's availa..." Joey trailed off as he phone went again and sulked when he showed Yami the screen. The Pharaoh wasn't sure if he was upset or relieved that Mokuba had booked a taxi for them which was due to arrive at the hospital in about five minutes.

"Shall we?" Yami asked, only just refraining from chuckling slightly at Joey's sulk, adjusting his own belt as he did so. He'd had to have an extra hole added to it, and it was laden with his pokéballs and deck. It still felt too loose.

"Yeah, yeah." Joey continued to sulk as they headed for the lifts, "I will get to show you how awesome Kaida looks now at some point."

"Later." Yami promised his friend, "Once I've dropped everything off at the..."The Pharaoh trailed off and darted over to the window as he heard a roar. Joey joined him swiftly, letting out a soft curse as he did so.

"What the hell?" Joey demanded as he took in the Duel Monsters that were invading the city.

"I don't know." Yami admitted, worry tainting his voice as he dashed for the exit, "I really don't know."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"Finally!" Jamie let out a whoop of joy the moment Nurse Joy stepped out of the room. "Free! Free! Free!" She slipped off of the bed and spun Mai around, the pair crashing into Bakura, sending all three of them tumbling to the ground.

"Get off." Bakura grumbled as he tried to extricate himself from under the two women, "At least Valon isn't here to see this." It was bad enough that he could sense his landlord's amusement over the whole situation. He didn't think he could put up with Valon's cackling too. He was the King of Thieves, he deserved some dignity damn it.

"Sorry 'Kura." Mai chuckled. She had been much warier of the barer of the Millennium Ring to start with and she still didn't completely trust him, a wise move considering that he was a self proclaimed thief and a stealer of souls. Now however she had worked out that as long as she stayed on his good side, she didn't really have to worry too much. After all he had already informed her that he didn't waste magic on anyone who wasn't in his way. Since she didn't plan on getting between him and whatever his end game was, not that she knew that was, she wasn't too concerned.

"Free. Free. Free." Jamie continued to chant as she clambered off of Mai and danced around the room, snatching up things and shoving them in her backpack, "Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

"I think she's happy about that." Mai grinned as she offered Bakura a hand up. He took it silently, roughly dusting himself off. She hadn't really expected a thank you anyway. Jaime had been stuck in bed for a fortnight and a bit, caged in this room for another week and a half on top and understandably the girl, who was normally free to roam as she desired, was going stir crazy.

"Next stop Domino." Jamie informed her friends, turning to them before she even finished adjusting her pokéballs on her belt. Aisu nodding along seriously. "I want my squad back and we need to back Joey up. Team Galactic can't have Dialga. I won't let them."

Bakura couldn't help but notice that for all of her determination, Jamie had none of her intimidation factor. A part of his mind wondered if that was because this was the lighter half of the Pokémon Trainer they were talking to. He couldn't help but remember when, in her poison induced fevered and delusional state she had had conversations with herself, conversations between Dragonite, more often shortened to Dragon, and Dratini and from sitting with her he had pretty much worked out which was which.

This Jamie, the one who was trying to dictate where they were going to head next and wanted nothing more than to help her friends and defend her world, was the hikari, Dratini. The other, the one who would be vicious in her retribution when she got a chance, was the yami, Dragon.

"It's a long way back to Domino on foot." Mai worried at Jamie, "Are you going to be alright going that far?"

"I have to be." Dratini informed her. "There's no other option."

"There's a car rental not far from here." Valon finally returned to the group, not looking at Bakura as he did so. The spirit of the Millennium Ring let out a low, almost inaudible growl that caused Aisu to tilt her ears in his direction, the Glaceon highly alert to anything that could be considered a threat to her Trainer. Bakura was pretty certain that Valon had gone to report to his boss that they were on the move and he really wasn't sure what to do about it.

When he had challenged Valon he had expected the young man to cheat allowing him to legitimately set a Penalty Game in motion (and he was concerned Jamie was making him soft if he was concerned about the legitimacy of a Penalty), and to then have to deal with the questions Mai and Jamie asked when he made the young man disappear. However he had been shocked to find that while Valon had lost the game, he hadn't cheated once leaving Bakura with quite a problem.

Even he had to adhere to The Rules of the Shadows. Until Valon slipped up, and Bakura was certain that he would, the Thief King couldn't cast a penalty game on him without consequences that he didn't want to deal with right now.

Still that didn't mean he had to like the fact that Valon was still reporting in to his Taskmaster, whom Bakura had learned during the game was an Atlantean man named Dartz. Considering that Atlantis had been an old fairy tale long before Bakura had ever been born, the tomb robber was wary of getting on the man's radar. However if Valon had reported in, it was highly probable that he was already there.

"Oi Valon." Mai noticed Bakura's mood shifting towards the dangerous end of the spectrum and frowned slightly as she nodded towards the exit, "I need to visit the PokéMart before we leave, I'm hoping they'll have something useful left."

"But..." Valon started to protest, only for Mai to shove him towards the door.

"Let's give the lovebirds some alone time, okay?" Mai interrupted, shoving Valon out into the corridor and grinning at the blush that erupted on Jamie's face as she slammed the door shut behind them.

The moment they were gone some of the joy and determination slipped out of Dratini's features and the girl hesitated as she slipped the last few things in her bag.

"Jamie?" Bakura asked, worried about the sudden mood switch.

"I'm okay." He could easily tell she was lying. She'd never been good at hiding her emotions. She wore her heart on her sleeve, both of her did and he had thousands of years of practice.

"Jamie." His tone was one of warning and caused Dratini to flinch.

"I'm worried." She admitted - something that he was certain she wouldn't have done had he been anyone else, "I think... this is going to sound crazy." She looked at him and sighed, sitting down on her bed, "Bakura, I think..."

"...there's someone else in your mind." Bakura finished for her, noting the way she started and stared at him, panicked and yet confused.

"You know?" When Bakura nodded she let out a frustrated growl and slumped back, "I'm going crazy, aren't I?" Jamie asked, worried.

"No. Well no crazier then you already were." Bakura allowed, causing Jamie to sit back up, releasing a small chuckle as she did so even though he could still see her concern.

"How are my Pokémon supposed to trust me, if I can't?" Jamie asked him, "If I can't control myself during battles, I can't trust myself to fight at all. I won't endanger my team." She sighed, her shoulders sinking, "But if I can't fight, I'm no use to anyone. I need to fight to prevent Galactic from destroying both worlds..."

Bakura considered her for a moment then let out a sigh. "Jamie, do you trust me?"

"Of course," Jamie nodded, confused as to what he was getting at, "You know I do."

"Then I need you to send Mai and Valon away." Bakura said, "At least for a couple of hours."

"Why?" Jamie blinked at him in innocent confusion.

"Because we're going to play a game..."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"Where're you going?" Mokuba jumped a bloody mile and wheeled around, releasing his Houndoom as he did so. The speaker yelped and backed up as the duel type canine growled viciously until he realized who the speaker was and leapt on her, licking the poor pink haired girl mercilessly as his Trainer recovered his composure.

"Hi Cassandra." Mokuba sighed, waving Houndoom back to his side as he did so, "I don't really have time to talk right now." He went back to packing an overnight bag. Not that Seto thought he'd need one, but Mokuba had learned by now that anything involving Pegasus was rarely as simple as things first appeared.

"You know you're walking into a trap right?" The psychic positive Galactic Grunt complained, watching him shove everything he could possibly need into as small a space as possible.

Mokuba paused; confused for a moment as he tried to work out how she knew what was going on, then he turned and scowled at her. "I thought you said you didn't read the minds of your friends."

"I don't." Cassandra shrugged, "I didn't need to. Galactic and Paradius have had a falling out, so we're keeping tabs on their movement."

Mokuba scowl morphed into a confused frown as he went over what she had just said, "Since when has anything Pegasus…?"

"That wasn't Pegasus," Cassandra interrupted, "That was one of Dartz's goons in disguise."

"Who?" Mokuba asked, then paused, "Wait, what? Dartz? As in the CEO of Paradius Incorporated Dartz?" The Galactic Grunt nodded, waiting for her friend to start asking more questions. "I'm confused." He admitted.

Cassandra huffed, "Seriously? Okay I'll put it in small words."

"Hey!" Mokuba yelped indignantly.

"Look, Dartz isn't who you think he is. According to our files, he's older than that ghost who haunts Mutou." Oracle tried to explain, watching Mokuba freeze as what she said sunk in. "He's also hunting rare and powerful souls. He thinks your brother's soul counts. So Dartz is trying to get him to walk into a trap where he can steal his soul and feed it to his pet leviathan. He knew Kaiba would stop him seizing control of the company, he only did it to bait the trap."

"Shit." Mokuba sat down on his bed. "How…?"

"Do we know all this?" Oracle asked, "We were working closely with Paradius until Spectre did what he did to Mutou." She explained, "Dartz was under the impression he'd finished Mutou off and pitched a fit at our Boss." Mokuba's hands balled into fists, of course Yugi would be a target too, he always was when the crazy started happening, "Then Dartz cut ties with us. This, of course, is when we started keeping an even closer eye on what he was up to."

"So basically some ancient ghost wants to steal my brother's soul and is willing to ruin our company to do it." Mokuba acknowledged, "And took advantage of the 'real' Duel Monster that are currently hovering around worldwide and the fact it doesn't matter…" Mokuba paused and looked at her, "The Duel Monsters that appeared this morning? His fault?"

"Probably." Cassandra allowed.

"I need to talk to Seto." Mokuba scowled, "And then the Yugis." He paused and shook his head in amusement, confusing the girl until he spoke again, "And getting him to believe this would be so much harder if it wasn't for Battle City."

"Oh?" Oracle asked, blinking in her confusion.

"I'll explain on the way."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"YAMI!" Yugi struggled against the hand wrapped around his neck, watching in horror as the Puzzle burst apart, scattering the golden pieces everywhere, and, with the Pharaoh sealed once again in darkness, his body fell to the floor of the school gym, unmoving. "Yami! Yami!"

"Shut up!" Yugi screamed as electricity played across his spirit at Spectre's snarl, agony coursing through him as the ghost Pokémon's attack continued its assault. Panting for breath when the attack finally cut off, his world blurring and spinning around him, Yugi vaguely heard Spectre demand to know where Dialga was but had no answer. When the Puzzle had shattered his memories of the masterball containing Dialga had shattered with them.

"I can't..." Yugi pleaded, desperate to get to the Puzzle and put it back together, "Please! I don't know where it is!"

"I don't believe you!" Spectre snarled, "Dusknoir!"

"No! Please!" Yugi loosed an agonised wail as the lightning struck again.

Suddenly the lightening stopped and darkness swelled, the Pokémon holding him letting out a screech that chilled Yugi to the core before the hand at his throat vanished and he hit the floor hard with a pained whimper.

Spectre let out a terrified screech of his own but Yugi couldn't muster up the strength to open his eyes, yet alone raise his head to find out what was going on.

"Yugi." The speaker was concerned as they rolled Yugi over and took him into their arms, pulling him close to their chest, semi sat up, "Yugi, wake up." He knew the speaker, Yugi realised in his dazed, agonised and confused state, but it couldn't be who he thought it was, not with the Puzzle in pieces. "Yugi, please!"

Yugi forced open his eyes, only for confusion to sink in. Not only was he in his soul room and not the school gym, but Yami _was_ here and the pain had receded. "Yami?" Yugi mentally winced at how hoarse and weak his voice sounded.

"I'm here, you're safe now." Yami promised, realising that this was the first time that they had been awake at the same time since the attack, "I've got you."

Yugi's wail as he spun in his dark half's arms and latched onto the Pharaoh, sobbing in his pain and relief, made guilt rise in Yami as the thought that if he had been just a little bit faster activating his game, or had followed Yugi a little more closely, his hikari wouldn't be hurt now occurred to him once again.

"It's alright now." Yami promised his other self, hugging the wounded boy tightly enough to reassure but not so tight he aggravated any injuries.

"I t...thought..." Yugi hiccupped when the tears slowed to a mere trickle compared to the river they had been before, "When he smashed the Puzzle..."

"It's happened before, Yugi." Yami tried to reassure him, "I was okay then too, remember?"

"But you hurt so much," Yugi whispered, "when that claw ripped through you. I thought..."

The Pharaoh grimaced slightly. Yes, that had hurt. Almost on par with the pain of what had come next. Having his soul shattered was never a pleasant experience. Still he was fine now. Yugi had once again solved the Puzzle, putting him back together too and the light of Yugi's soul was just the balm he needed to fully recover from his ordeal. "I'm okay, I promise."

"I'm glad." He felt Yugi relax in his arms as the boy spoke. They sat there for a moment, just enjoying each other's company, both relieved that the other was alive, both having feared the other wouldn't live to see another day. Then a thought occurred to Yami. There was a way he could help his hikari recover faster. Just as Yugi had done for him when he had been badly injured by Ra's flames, he could draw off part of the pain and take on some of Yugi's wounds. His only real concern was that it would leave them both susceptible to attack.

He would have to trust Yugi's friends to protect them, just as he had in the weeks after the warehouse fire, when the body had been weak and had tired easily. It wasn't something he was comfortable with, but he had done it before and he could do it again.

Half dozing back off again, Yugi didn't notice at first when the pain levels dropped, but when the burns on his left arm transferred from his limb to Yami's he straightened, realising what his darker self was doing, and squirmed out of the Pharaoh's arms, pushing the ancient spirit away. "What're...?" Yugi trailed off as he realised that while it still hurt to move, he could do so more easily and his world didn't threaten to fade away. Yami however looked worse for wear, it was obvious what the Pharaoh had been doing and Yugi bit his lower lip as he considered the dark half of his soul. "Yami..."

"It's alright." The Pharaoh let out a soft hiss as he got to his feet, wavering slightly as he did so. He offered Yugi a hand and the young teen took it, stumbling slightly himself as he stood on unsteady limbs, "How're you feeling now?"

"You didn't need to..." Yugi cut off at a look from Yami and took on a rueful, slightly ashamed expression, "Much better, thank you."

"You did the same for me." Yami reminded his charge, noting that Yugi's mood lightened slightly at the reminder. "Now..."

Yami was cut off by the sound of his soul room door slamming shut. The Pharaoh wheeled around and shot towards the sound, Yugi following as best he could. The heavy metal door was indeed shut when they got there, confusing Pharaoh and teen no end. Yami never shut his door and there was supposed to be no one around bar them.

"Stay close." Yami murmured to his light, his tone protective as he opened the door, half expecting to see someone on the other side. No one greeted them beyond the doorframe, but there were the sounds of footsteps fleeing the scene and a girl's voice urged them to follow. Yami went after them, slower than he would of liked because of the injuries he had taken on but still faster than Yugi, who warily remembered the last time he had been in the ancient artefact and did not fancy a run in with the mummies that had been aides of Anubis.

The pair turned a corner, safe in the knowledge that the Puzzles traps were within its myriad of rooms, only for the floor to be missing below Yami's feet. Yugi grabbed at the Pharaoh's hand as Yami fell, but lost his own footing and joined him in the tumble into darkness.

Shadows swirled around the pair for a moment, then suddenly they were in midair, floating above a giant temple, one that looked like it was of Grecian design and yet at the same time older and different enough that while the style was similar to a Greek temple they could tell that it was in fact from a different nation again. They were only there for a moment before they were drawn inside and landed on the floor of what was obviously a shrine to three giant dragons that had been immortalised in crystal.

"What the...?" Yugi breathed as he took in their surroundings, having never seen anything like this in the Puzzle before.

"Welcome Pharaoh." Yugi squeaked and jumped at the sound of a girl's voice and Yami pulled his light behind him, glowering around until his gaze fell on a Dark Magician Girl, at which point the rage turned to confusion, "There is much we must discuss and very little time."

"Who are you and where are we?" Yami demanded, confusion flickering back to anger as he realised that they had been drawn here for a reason and that the sound of the fleeing footsteps had probably been those of the Duel Monster before him.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you." The Dark Magician Girl replied, "My name is Mana and this is the Realm of Monsters." She gestured around, "My Master would have been here to greet you himself, but he is away fighting off the beasts that have invaded our world since the barrier grew so damaged."

"Barrier?" Yugi asked, curiosity showing as he took another look at his surroundings. Yami could sense that his light wanted to explore this new world that looked to be inhabited by all of the monsters that Yugi had been so familiar with in their card forms. The Pharaoh however just wanted to get back to their world as soon as possible and wasn't comfortable with the way that the Dark Magician Girl's name rang bells in his mind, though he couldn't think why.

"Between dimensions." Mana explained, gesturing between the pillars to the outside world, where darkness had pervaded, destroying the clear blue tranquil skies and allowing access to creatures of darkness that were engaged by the monsters of this realm the moment they passed through the barrier. "Almost half a year ago the barriers started to fall and many of my friends and comrades were destroyed while protecting this land. Now it has spread to your world, aided by two groups of humans and we Duel Monsters alone cannot stop it."

"Galactic." Yami snarled, understanding easily who the first group of humans were. It wasn't hard to guess considering that they had control over the God of Alternate Dimensions. The second group was not hard to guess either but he did not have a name for them and they had not incurred his wrath quite as heavily. Yet.

"How can we help?" Yugi asked, his eyes flickering to his darker self for a moment, understanding if not condoning the Pharaoh's wrath, and knowing that they had been brought to this world for a specific reason.

Mana looked relieved that Yugi asked as she stepped back to gesture to the giant crystalline statues. "When this first happened, ten thousand years ago, there were three warriors who stood up against the dark ones and saved both of our worlds, but they paid a heavy price. All three were wounded and sealed within the crystal you see before you, as great dragons. There they have stayed, waiting for the day when the chosen warriors would release them from their seal to fight once again."

"For ten thousand years?!" Yugi yelped. Yami too was a little thrown by the amount of time. His imprisonment for _five_ thousand years had been bad enough, but to have been held for _ten_?

"Pharaoh, I know that five thousand years ago you saved the world." Mana spoke to both of them, "And now I'm begging you to do the same again."

"But..." Yugi trailed off, looking up at the great dragons a little nervously.

"I know your recent battles have wounded you." Mana answered his unfinished question softly, concern obvious as she looked the pair over, "But you can do this, just as you defeated the great evil that nearly destroyed the world oh so long ago. With Timaeus at your side, I know you can."

Yugi glanced up at the dragon she was gesturing to once more, then turned to his darker half, determination written across his features. Yami knew that look. He had known Yugi would want to help the moment that he had heard that Mana had lost friends to the maelstrom above their heads. Yami was not about to object either. The trouble was obviously spreading to their world, today's invasion of monsters had proved that and anything Galactic were tied up in, he wanted to stick his nose in, if only to cause them a headache.

"We'll try." Yami agreed, noting the look of relief that spread across Mana's features, taking Yugi's hand and shooting skyward, the pair of them reaching Timaeus's crystallised head. There, where one of Timaeus's eyes should have been was a sword embedded in the gemstone entombing the great beast.

"Together?" Yugi asked a little nervously.

"Together." Yami agreed, not entirely certain what would happen if they succeeded but somehow knowing that it would take both of them if they were to have a chance. Both of them gripped the hilt, their hands intertwining on the leather wrapped handle of the strangely familiar looking sword, and they pulled.

It did not come out easily, the pair had to strain to shift the blade even slightly and Yami was about to suggest they let go and go about it a different way when the blade suddenly slid free at speed. Yugi and Yami went tumbling in midair, the sword falling to the marble floor with a loud clang.

The pair didn't notice as the crystal covering Timaeus started cracking, waves of energy erupting, sending chucks of the gemstone structure coating it flying. As the waves hit the pair, Yugi and Yami could feel power soaking into them, filling their reserves and pushing them to new heights. As the crystal fell away the dragon started glowing, the light gaining strength sharply, blinding everyone present.

Then Yugi woke up.

Sitting upright in his bed in the real world for the first time in far too long. Yugi blinked as he looked at his surroundings, confusion seeping in as he tried to take in everything. Everything seemed so normal and yet he had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. A feeling that wasn't eased when he realised that his deck was glowing.

He eased himself out of bed, wincing as he put his foot down, only for pain to shoot up his right leg. He wobbled for a moment before moving across the room and picking up the top card of his deck, only to find that it was a card he had never seen before. A card called the 'Eye of Timaeus.'

"So it wasn't just a dream." Yugi murmured as he carefully leaned against his desk, taking his weight off of his bad leg, wondering what the effects of the card were and whether it would work on his Duel Disk.

The amount of light coming in through the window confused the teen and caused him to look out and up, the card almost falling from his hand when he spotted what the cause was. "The Northern Lights? Here?" He watched in shock as a giant eye appeared in the middle of the lights and the Duel Monsters that had invaded his town attempted to strike it down, only to get sucked up into the lights.

Getting the feeling that he and Timaeus were needed in town. Yugi shoved on some clothes as quickly as he could, snatched up his deck and recalled his Pokémon before heading out to deal with this latest threat.

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

"The hell is that?" Joey complained as he stared up at the giant eye in the sky, Risha and Daniels at his side, the three of them having been on call in case of a Pokémon related emergency. It wasn't related to the creatures that had been invading the world for the last just shy of six months, but this certainly counted as an emergency, hence why they had been called out.

"I have no idea." Risha admitted, his electric Pokémon just as confused as he was.

"Me either." Daniels admitted.

"Damn." Joey snarled, having hoped that the two Trainers from the Pokeworld would have more of a clue about what was going on since his normal weird magnet was at home resting right now. He watched as the eye tried to blast something a couple of blocks away with a burst of gale force winds and light and the Duel Monsters counter attacked, defending the city even as they were being sucked up by the lights surrounding the giant ocular creature. "Kaida!" He called, releasing his Dragonite who appeared in a flash of right light with a roar.

The huge dragonic Pokémon took to the sky, bellowing a challenge to the strange monster in the sky that was trying to destroy _HER_ town. The eye responded to her roar by loosing a blast of light and wind of the same verity that had destroyed a building just moments earlier. Kaida replied with a Hyper Beam that met the incoming attack in midair, causing an explosion that temporarily blinded everyone watching the battle.

"Look!" Daniels yelped, pointing upwards as Joey's vision started to clear. The teen looked where the Trainer was pointing, only to see something darting skyward, surrounded by a pink glow that steadily got brighter the higher it got. "It's Mew!"

The creature in the sky was not as impressed by the tiny catlike New Species Pokémon, launching another blast at the pair of sky-born Pokémon, bigger and more powerful than the last. Kaida replied with a Hyper Beam but it was Mew who did the damage, using its immense psychic powers to contort the eye creature's attack back at it,

The attack exploded on contact, sending out a shock wave of green energy and tiny stones that knocked Kaida and everything else in the air with her out of the battle and forced Joey to recall her.

Mew tumbled to the ground, cartwheeling in midair. Joey darted towards the park entrance, where it looked like Mew would land, only to be shocked as Mew tried to slow down, only to be caught by Yugi just a meter from the ground.

"What're you doing here?" Joey demanded of his friend, relieved to see Yugi awake but worried about him being here in the middle of a crisis, especially when the eye in the sky looked like it was still, mostly, in one piece.

Yugi didn't get a change to reply. The eye above them loosed a tornado that touched down where the Puzzle holder was stood, the insanely fast winds cutting Joey off from his friend and the Pokémon he was cradling tightly against his chest, protecting it. "Yugi!"

For a moment or two Joey couldn't see anything but the tornado and the steadily building power above him. The ocular enemy was building up for a massive attack and Yugi and Mew were sitting ducks, if they were even still alive in there.

Suddenly there was a burst of bright pink light from where Yugi had been stood and the tornado was blasted apart, leaving behind the teen, who was still cradling the Pokémon he had saved in one arm while pulling something out of his deck holster with the other hand, trying to catch his breath as he did so.

"Timaeus!" Yugi bellowed, aiming the card skyward. Joey watched in shock as light erupted from the card his friend was holding and took the form of a huge, turquoise dragon that had a pale, almost white chest and was missing one eye, who without an order from Yugi loosed an attack that struck the eye square on. With the damage from the redirected attack already taking its toll, the second explosion caused the eye to vanish from the skies, a weird shrieking noise that was otherworldly and seemed to shake them to their cores echoing across the city as the Northern Lights disappeared with it.

"Yuge?" Joey asked, worried as 'Timaeus' disappeared and Yugi seems to almost fall, only for a pink light to surround him, keeping him upright. The Mew slipped out of Yugi's arms and circled the teen, concern in its tone as it chattered at Yugi, not that Joey could understand anything but 'mew, mew mewewewew mew.'

"I...I'm okay." Yugi panted, exhaustion obvious on his features as he used the light's aid to right himself.

"What was that?" Joey glanced skyward, wondering what the hell had just happened as the other two Trainers he had been with finally caught up.

"I have an idea." Yugi admitted, warily glancing skyward himself for a moment before looking down at the card in his hand, "And I don't think we've seen the last of it."

**LINE_RECOGNITION_HAS_GONE_AGAIN**

**Author Note: Well... I must admit to being rather shocked. I haven't really had any real inspiration on this fic since June last year and I didn't think anyone really liked it. However I was proved wrong when I received several messages asking when I was going to update this fic and my plot wolf for this story (yes, I call my main 4 plots 'wolves' as they chew on my leg when they want my attention and seem to eat the plot 'bunnies' that visit me) woke up while I was training for the marathon I'm running for charity in April. **

**So here you go, an update for Relic Song. I'm just as shocked as you guys. And there will be more to come.**

**Ed: Yay!**


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